NHTSA Complaint #724537 — 1999 DODGE RAM 2500

ENGINE #1(3884 MILES) WE HAD ONLY HAD THE TRUCK FOR TWO MONTHS, HAD NOT EVEN MADE THE SECOND PAYMENT. WE WERE 75 MILES FROM HOME PULLING OUR 21 FOOT BOAT WHEN THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED. IT WAS ONLY THE SECOND TIME WE HAD USED THE TRUCK TO PULL--WHICH IS WHY WE BOUGHT THE V10 . A PIECE OF THE BLOCK CAME OFF AND LOCKED UP THE OIL PUMP. WE WERE WITHOUT OUR TRUCK FOR THREE WEEKS WHILE THE DEALERSHIP TORE DOWN THE ENGINE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND WAIT FOR CHRYSLER TO DECIDE THE BEST REMEDY WHICH WAS A BRAND NEW 1999 ENGINE. CHRYSLER WANTED TO SHIP A 2000 ENGINE BUT IT WOULD NOT BOLT UP. OUR SUMMER WAS RUINED & WE DID NOT PULL ANYTHING AGAIN UNTIL THIS YEAR. ENGINE #2(16,397 MILES ON TRUCK BUT ONLY 12,513 MILES ON THIS ENGINE). ON JUNE 11, 2000, THE SECOND TIME TO PULL THIS YEAR, WE LEFT ON VACATION PULLING OUR 23 FOOT ULTRA LITE PULL BEHIND CAMPER. ON MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2000, 250 MILES FROM HOME, THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. THIS TIME, IT HAD THROWN A ROD. OUR VACATION WAS RUINED. THE TRUCK WAS DOWN FOR TWO WEEKS AND WE WERE STRANDED, UNABLE TO TAKE OUR RENTAL CAR OUT OF STATE. CHRYSLER SENT A REBUILT ENGINE THIS TIME. ENGINE #3(16,462 MILES ON THE TRUCK BUT ONLY 65 MILES ON THIS ENGINE). WE PICKED UP THE TRUCK JUNE 23, 2000 AFTER THE SERVICE PEOPLE PUT IT THROUGH A 24 MILE TEST DRIVE. WE DROVE 41 MILES PULLING OUR CAMPER AND AS WE STARTED UP A LONG 5% INCLINE, IT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. ABOUT 1/4 MILE UP THE HILL, WITH THE GAS PEDAL ON THE FLOOR, IT HAD DROPPED TO 30 MPH--NO POWER--SO WE PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD & STOPPED. STRANDED ONCE AGAIN, WE CALLED CHRYSLER. AFTER THREE HOURS, WE WERE FINALLY RESCUED. IT WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND DETERMINED AT THE PRESENT TIME TO HAVE "INTERNAL PROBLEMS". WE ARE ONCE AGAIN WITHOUT OUR TRUCK. IT IS NOT EVEN ONE YEAR OLD. *AK